Catalyst Project

Clinical trials: Italians believe in them but don’t know how to take part

AstraRicerche-Novartis survey: eight out of ten recognise its value, whilst fewer than three out of ten feel well-informed. And only 8.6 per cent know how to apply to take part in a clinical trial

by Francesca Cerati

5 November 2026

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4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

High level of support, low level of awareness
The hospital network and the Catalyst project
The challenge with machines

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Italians believe in clinical research, but find it difficult to understand what it is and to imagine themselves taking part in a trial. This is the picture that emerges from the survey ‘Value, perception and impact of clinical research in Italia’, carried out by AstraRicerche in September amongst 1,003 people aged between 18 and 70, interviewed online, and sponsored by Novartis.

High level of support, low level of awareness

The initial figures are encouraging: around eight out of ten Italians rate it as high or very high. 78.2 per cent regard it as a driving force for the country’s development, 86 per cent consider it important for medical progress, and 85.3 per cent believe it helps improve the lives of today’s patients. However, only 27.1 per cent say they are very or fairly well-informed.

The confusion starts with the terminology. 40.7 per cent can correctly identify clinical research, whilst 26.6 per cent confuse it with laboratory research on cells and animals, and 13.8 per cent with the tests carried out in hospital. 6.7 per cent admit they are unfamiliar with the term. And for 41.9 per cent, it remains a subject that only experts can understand.

The most striking gap concerns participation. 59.6 per cent are aware that it is possible to take part in a clinical trial, but only 8.6 per cent know how to find out more or apply. There is, however, a willingness to participate: 71.4 per cent would take part in a trial relating to their own condition as a patient, 59.9 per cent as a carer and 52.3 per cent as a healthy person. The opinions of specialists and GPs carry a great deal of weight.

When it comes to health data, consent depends on safeguards. 70.3 per cent say they are in favour of sharing such data for research purposes provided it is anonymised and protected, but this figure drops to 46.5 per cent if the data could be traced back to an individual. 80.9 per cent call for clearer communication.

The hospital issue and the Catalyst project

Then there is the issue of bureaucracy, cited as an obstacle by 70.6 per cent of respondents, who nevertheless recognise that Italia has great potential (73 per cent). During the meeting, it emerged that the problem lies primarily within hospitals: complex procedures, a shortage of staff dedicated to research, and a ‘siloed’ organisational structure that keeps clinical trials separate from treatment pathways. Meanwhile, other countries have stepped up their efforts: Spain now ranks first in Europe for the number of clinical trials, ahead of France and Germany, according to a 2024 IQVIA report for EFPIA.

This led to the launch of Catalyst, which was unveiled at the ‘Innovation that Changes Lives’ event to mark 250 years of scientific innovation and the 30th anniversary of Novartis’s founding. The project, developed in collaboration with investigators, centres and scientific societies, focuses on hospital organisation and will run pilot schemes in Lombardy, Veneto, Tuscany and Campania. Key drivers identified include Clinical Trial Units, the digitisation of processes and greater involvement of senior management. Novartis reports 924 active clinical centres in Italia as of September this year, with over 2,000 patients enrolled across both interventional and non-interventional studies.

“Today, the challenge is not merely to push the boundaries of science, but to ensure that the value of innovation translates into a tangible impact on people’s lives,” says Federico Mambretti, Country President of Novartis Italia. The company has 924 active clinical centres in Italia (as of September this year) and over 2,000 patients involved in both interventional and non-interventional trials.

From the hospital’s perspective, Paolo Petralia, Director-General of the Aoui in Verona and Vice-President of Fiaso, explains: ‘Research is a fundamental part of the care pathway, and managing it requires a more strategic and integrated approach, starting with the standardisation and digitisation of clinical trial processes at the centres.’

The challenge with machines

Providing a broader context was the writer Paolo Giordano, who, by his own admission, chose to act as a “counterbalance” to the “epic of technocentric development” at the event. Drawing on the philosopher Günther Anders, he recalled how, at certain moments in history, technological progress makes such leaps that it exceeds humanity’s capacity to understand and control it: this is the ‘Promethean gap’. ‘Today,’ he said, ‘that gap is reappearing with neuroscience, computer science and artificial intelligence, and it forces us to ask ourselves what it means to be truly human.’

His answer lies in medicine. ‘Faced with a political and social context characterised by intense ideological pressures, mistrust of medicine and the commodification of the body, scientific research finds its true value in personalised care and in the protection of the individual, “in their entirety”, together with their family members, carers and loved ones.’

Hence the conclusion, addressed to those working in research: the challenge with machines, centred on performance, is of little interest. ‘What a machine will never have is responsibility. Responsibility towards those who are alive, responsibility towards those who fall ill, and responsibility towards those who die.’ This, combined with the ability to offer time and dignity to the sick, represents that ethical and insurmountable dimension which irrevocably distinguishes human beings from any machine.